FORT WORTH, Texas — American Paint Horse Association debuted a new format for its World Championship Show by splitting it into two events: a Summer World Show and a Fall World Show. The Summer World Championship Paint Horse Show from June 24-July 4 at Will Rogers Memorial Center featured a full schedule of Youth events, followed by a smaller selection of Amateur and Open classes.

Next, the APHA Fall World Show from Nov. 5-14 will focus on Open and Amateur divisions.

Alexie Estrada of Bakersfield may have won the 2009 All-Around Youth 14-18 title at the APHA Summer World Show riding Predictably Perfect, but for her, it was the culmination of years of riding, training and finding a balance in life. Her discipline in both studying hard at school as an honors student and spending several weeks out of the year competing at horse shows has paid off.

Estrada said winning her first World Championship was so rewarding and oh so sweet. “It’s the most amazing feeling ever. All the hard work to become the best you can be; all the blood from the boot blisters; all the sweat from the hours and hours of riding; all the tears from the frustration and exhaustion; all of that has finally paid off,” she said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. — The 2009 FEI North American Junior & Young Riders Championships (NAJYRC) welcomed junior and young riders from across the continent to a highly-regarded series of championships, and California teams were among the medal winners. The Golden State’s Zone 7 Young Riders took home the Gold medal in Team Dressage, and the Zone 10 Junior Riders won the Team Show Jumping championship. More Team Gold was won in Eventing by California’s Area 6 riders.

The NAJYRC, the premiere equestrian competition in North America for junior and young riders age 14-21, was held July 22-26 at Kentucky Horse Park. Young equestrians come from the United States, Canada and Mexico to vie for championship titles in the three Olympic equestrian disciplines of show jumping, dressage and eventing, plus the Western-style discipline of reining. The competition is run under rules of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body for equestrian sport.

The Team show jumping competition at the 2009 FEI North American Junior & Young Riders Championships was fierce from the start and the ultimate winner was decided with a three rider jump-off.

Just one rail decided the winner of the jump-off between Zone 2 and California’s Zone 10. Finishing with 12 faults was Zone 2, but sliding through with just eight faults was Zone 10. The Zone 10 Californian team was made up of Alec Lawler and Live Fire, Taylor Siebel and Thunder-Ball, Richard Neal and Luke Skywalker S, and Samantha Harrison and Santika. All four horses jumped well under the guidance of their Junior riders as they earned the well-deserved Team Gold medal.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — Record setting triple-digit temperatures and blazing hot scores were the buzz at the 2009 Adequan/U.S. Equestrian Federation’s National Reining Championships. Held June 26 during the annual National Reining Horse Association Derby at Oklahoma State Fairgrounds, the USEF championships determined the nation’s top reining horses and riders after a year of qualification.

Using portable fans and high-powered misters to cut the heat for competing horses, the event was able to care for the horses and athletes alike in the unseasonably warm temperatures. This, combined with air-conditioned show rings, ensured that competing horses were safe and helped top riders keep their cool under intense competition, event organizers said.

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — Summer success keeps rolling for veteran Grand Prix rider Susie Hutchison of Temecula. She and Cantano earned yet another victory at Blenheim EquiSports’ $25,000 Red, White and Blue Grand Prix, presented by the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, held June 28 at Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park.

Cantano, owned by Jim and Pat Iverson of El Dorado 29, has won three Grand Prix events during the 2009 spring-summer, hunter/jumper shows managed by Blenheim EquiSports.

The 9-year-old bay Holsteiner stallion only started competing in the Grand Prix level in spring 2008—and amazingly won four out of five Grand Prix events it entered last year with Hutchison aboard. In 2009, Hutchison and Cantano also won the $35,000 Blenheim Spring Classic II Grand Prix on April 5, and $30,000 Copa de Amistad Grand Prix on June 21.

Continuing in a Series
In the next few installments, Les Vogt takes you through exercises of his Five Easy Pieces. When you’ve mastered them, you should be able to put any part of your horse’s body where you want it, without resistance.